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“Seventh Legion shuttles taking fire…”

“Warden forces firing on Lionguard outside Moon…”

“Echo of Ares reports their captain has been shot…”

“ArchIustan ships”

“…Lake Silene has inbound Republic assault craft”

Ships are going for Darrow’sones loyal to me

It is a coup

With Daxo pushingin the center of a knot of Optimates, I rush up the last of the stairs to the West Door We make the flats around the senate pit and rush to the exit At the head of a clutch of heavily ares heavy fire outside the Foru casualties, they press up the stairs outside the foruht over the parks

But as they reach the top stair and er lands at the edge of the park Its twin railguns train themselves on Holiday She shouts to take cover Too late

I watch in horror asat three tis shred thesplinters of rock down on us I’m flattened by Gold and Gray senators, who use their bodies to shield mine Senator Tiberius ti Han screams as his arm is taken off at the elbow by a ricochet The next one takes his torso off at the hips

Froer is teetering sideways, a huge hole in its cockpit Frouard, Holiday turns her anti-tank railrifle up the steps at the Wardens blocking our escape Five Wardens are cut in half A sixth Warden explodes in a shower of gristle andmarble door as it slides to trap us inside the Foruainst it till the veins stand out in his neck and his fingers crack the stone A shoulder pops from its socket

“Run, you fools!” he roars at us

I push the Gold senators off es cannot be stopped even by a Telemanus

“Go!” I shout at hio!”

My heart breaks as Daxo looks at the narrowing sliver of salvation His face is red from exertion His lips pull back from his teeth He could escape, abandon me, but instead a calrip on the door It seals with a loud thus